This is a word, a podcast from Slate.

I'm your host, Jason Johnson.

It's a war at season, a time when the best of the best in film gets recognized and celebrated,

except when they aren't.

Black writers in Hollywood still struggle for attention and acclaim.

And with another year and no African American writers nominated for Oscars,

how can black writers actually break through?

As long as you have creatives, you know, engaged and passionate, you have an outlet.

You know, and I don't put it just on the creatives because I think the point that's under

your point is also they're gatekeepers as well.

Riding while Black and Hollywood coming up on a word with me Jason Johnson.

Stay with us. Welcome to a word, a podcast about race and politics and everything else. I'm your host, Jason Johnson. Every year we see the same story, great black television shows and movies that do well

on the ratings, the box office and social media, but somehow they don't get nominated for

the biggest awards.

Here on a word we've had several guests talk about the challenges of presenting black content in Hollywood.

However, there are successful writers out there, hidden figures, if you will, that have been churning out black stories for the big screen, the small screen novels, and comics.

So how do they do it?

One of those creators is Rodney Barnes.

He's a producer and a writer who has worked on many shows that you love, including American Gods and Wu Teng and American

Saga and Winning Time, The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty.

He's also written comic books starring Lando Calrissian and The Mandalorian.

And his latest work, the graphic novel Blackula Return of the King was just

...